Ahead of the 2023 elections, the former Senior Special Assistant to the President on Prosecution, Chief Okoi Obono-obla, has called on leaders to be selfless by working together to advance the fortunes of their communities.
Obla who is vying to represent the Central Senatorial District of Cross River State, under the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC; insisted that leadership is not about “self-glorification.” He pointed out that those who seek leadership positions must present their scorecard as a tool for a bargain from the electorates.
The former SPIP chairmen described as disheartening the political practice where people seek to contest for an election on the single basis of previous offices held. He noted that the only moral justification to seek for an elective position should hinged on the proportion of collective achievements and performance.
His words: “It is not enough for some people to say they have been this or that! I have been an ex-commissioner, chairman, or minister or have a political pedigree, vote for me.
“We should ask people who seek our support what have you done to enhance the community’s fortunes or the people of the community.
“Leadership is not about self. It is not about self-glorification. It is all about the leader collectively working together with the generality of the community to advance such a community. It is about the leader mentoring young people from the community to access opportunities or develop themselves.
“Those politicians who spend fortunes buying lethal weaponry and distributing it to young people to intimidate or hound their opponents are not leaders, and our young people should be wary of them.
“Those who collect contracts from the government to execute projects in our communities but fail them according to specification or properly execute them to have value for money invested into these projects should never be entrusted with leadership.
“We must evolve a new concept of leadership. A selfless, honest, compassionate, visionary, and people-oriented leadership is what we need at this point.
“We must shun politicians who cheat the people big time and then turn around to share rice, food items, and other palliatives in the name of empowerment.”